She is 1,100 miles away so I can't troubleshoot in person.

She tried new USB-C cable and a different charger. No luck.

She made an appt at the local Apple store for Friday.

Is this a known thing??

Should I just buy one of those walmart $649 deals and set up a new one for her? I did a full back up before she left for college.

JPK

More silly things to check if you haven't already.

Did she try the other USB-C port on the MBA?

Check the USB-C ports for debris (i.e. lint)?

Check the cable and charger on a different device? Or try a different outlet? (Probably only relevant if she's using a kitchen outlet that could be a GFCI that tripped and hasn't been reset, or if it's the only device on a power strip that got accidentally turned off).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/11/2024 12:26PM by Gareth.

I would triple check the charger, cable, and ports. I would start by cleaning out the USB/TB charging ports on her MBA with a wooden toothpick.

If it IS a hardware problem on the MBA, it's either a super cheap I/O board or the battery. Apple will identify that.

Will it turn on when plugged in?

Oh - and be sure she has her data backed up before going to the Apple Store. They MIGHT offer a refurb machine for a repair, it might not get her data transferred.

Does her model include Charging on Hold when used heavily in what Apple is calling desktop mode on a charger? That threw me a bit the first time my M3 MBP stopped charging and let the battery discharge t0 80%.

MBA is completely dead. Will not charge.

I had her try both USB ports

I will see if she can inspect the ports for debris.

I backed it up about 3 weeks ago before we dropped her off at college.

Thanks for the ideas.

Thanks!

JPK

Should I just buy one of those walmart $649 deals and set up a new one for her? I did a full back up before she left for college.


If she can get by with waiting for an appointment on Friday, then don't spend any money until she says what Apple finds.

It may be something simple or you may need a new machine, but you won't know all your options until Friday.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.

Quote
JPK
She tried new USB-C cable and a different charger. No luck.

Did she try a different AC outlet? Unlikely, but just to complete the debugging process.

Yes, I had here try other outlets, other cables, other chargers. No luck.

JPK

I've had a handful out of my fleet with the same problem. Less than 1% of our total fleet, but it is also the most common failure we are seeing. Replacing the USB-C board has fixed them thus far.

---

C(-)ris
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looks like a $20 part and 30 mins of work. I wish I was close enough to fix it for her! If this is the issue I wonder what the Apple store will charge? Probably as much as a whole new MBA!

JPK

Quote
JPK
If this is the issue I wonder what the Apple store will charge? Probably as much as a whole new MBA!

have her make the college student of her known at Apple.
Arm her with C(-)ris experience in an OBTW manner.
If they have the part and are aware of the possibility, I'd bet they won't.

---

!#$@@$#!

Quod suus via crustulum saxum

At my college, the IT folks do minor repairs for students and faculty for free. If it's a $20 part they might charge for the part but they don't charge for labor. We have a bunch of student workers who love to go into laptops. She might wander by the campus IT department and see if they can help her out.

Her IT department did ZERO trouble shooting and simply told her they would have to send it out for inspection & estimate and it would take 2 weeks.

She had her appt with the Apple store today. It appears her cable was bad and the other cable she tried too was bad.

Charger was fine and charged with a new Apple cable.

Crisis averted! Thanks for the input.

Glad it turned out ok, but wow, who woulda thunk two different cables would be bad.

Glad it turned out ok, but wow, who woulda thunk two different cables would be bad.


Cable abuse.

I'd get a spare, and maybe a longer one then she usually uses.

---

I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

Insisting on your rights without acknowledging your responsibilities isn’t freedom, it’s adolescence.

I've been to the edge of the map, and there be monsters.

We are a government of laws, not men.

Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.